Robert Luis Vellanoweth, PhD Assistant Professor of Biochemistry Office: PS 517 Research Labs: PS 523-526 VOX (323) 343-2148 FAX (323) 343-6490 Email vllnwth@calstatela.edu

BS Biochemistry, California State University Los Angeles, 1982
PhD Biochemistry, University of California Berkeley, 1988
Ford and McKnight Postdoctoral Fellow, Washington State University, 1988-1992

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Research Interests

Our research program is focused on gaining an understanding of the mechanisms of life span determination in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. We are attacking the problem from three fronts: biochemical, molecular biological, and genetic. The following biochemical approaches are underway: 1) an analysis of lipid peroxidation state as a function of age in rosette leaves; and 2) measurement of the expression patterns of enzymatic antioxidant defenses as leaf aging proceeds in the cytoplasm, chloroplast and mitochondrion. Using molecular biology, we are: 3) constructing antisense clones of antioxidant defense enzymes (superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase) to produce transgenic Arabidopsis plants to determine the affect of reducing ROS defenses on leaf lifespan; 4) constructing clones of SOD and AP under the control of a strong promoter to overexpress these enzymes in transgenic Arabidopsis in various compartments (cytosol, mitochondria, and chloroplast), using the appropriate signal sequences, to determine the affect of increasing ROS defenses on leaf lifespan; and 5) isolating and characterizing genomic clones of known Arabidopsis senescence-associated genes to begin the molecular dissection of their promoters. Using genetics, we are 6) screening for mutants that exhibit delayed senescence. An understanding of the mechanism by which a model organism amenable to experimentation undergoes purely age-related senescence, a likely consequence of our three-pronged approach, can provide some insight into similar mechanisms operative in other species.

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Vellanoweth Lab Homepage

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Teaching Schedules

Fall 1998

Course	Sect. No.	Title	Units	Day & Time	Room
CHEM 431A	01	Biochemistry I	3	MWF 9:30 - 10:20 AM	PS 306

Winter 1999

^M ^M ^M ^M ^M ^M ^M ^M

Course	Sect. No.	Title	Units	Day & Time	Room
CHEM 431B	01	Biochemistry II	3	MWF 9:30 - 10:20 AM

Spring 1999

Course	Sect. No.	Title	Units	Day & Time	Room
CHEM 431C	01	Biochemistry III	3	MWF 9:30-10:20 AM